Dear one,
This morning I was reminded of Martha: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things …” (Luke 10:41). You might recall: Jesus uttered these words in response to Martha’s imperative: “Tell [my sister] to help me.”
Given this exchange between Jesus and Martha, my thoughts this morning turned towards Luke’s description: “Martha was distracted by her many tasks.” Although we have many fine translations, the word translated here as “tasks” or elsewhere as “preparations” or “much serving” is the Greek word, διακονία, which basically means: “service” or “ministry.”[1] She was distracted by ministry.
As I was thinking about the day before me and the three conversations I expected: one with a Manila professor; another with a Ugandan pastor; and a third with a Malawian social worker, I sought to picture the many ministry/ serving tasks placed upon each. In my doing so, Martha came to mind; however, before I reflect further concerning her anxieties, please know: I view Martha as one of the great “saints” within the New Testament.
Admittedly, as I anticipated the three conversations, I thought it might be well to encourage the three “ministers” to emulate Mary, who sat at Jesus’ feet, presumably listening attentively. That is, whether or not we live in the Philippines, Uganda, Malawi, or the US, the month of December has its manifold demands, its Martha-related distractions. We do well to learn from Mary.
Ah, but as I thought of these three ministers, a further thought came: “What about you, Stan. It’s well for you to encourage others to ‘sit at Jesus’ feet,’ but will you do likewise? Or will you retreat to that age-old adage: 'do what I say not what I do'?" The word translated as “distracted,” περισπάω, means “to be pulled/ dragged away,”[2] and thus begs the question: What was pulling upon or dragging Martha away? Seemingly she readily welcomed Jesus into their home, but then something went awry: Did she desire approval? Had she become a slave to appearances? Was she jealous? Had she overestimated her capabilities? Was she tyrannized by the urgent?
Whatever or whomever drew her away, Martha lost her focus: the opportunity to delight in the living Presence of the One who lived and spoke as no other. As you and I live the Season before us, may we be drawn to and not away from the “Living Word.”[3]
Re-focusing,
Stan
[1] A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Danker ed. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), p. 230.
[2] Ibid. p.804.
[3] Cf. John 1:14.